Satellite-based surveillance to keep a check on rampant illegal mining in Raj

The Union Mining ministry has launched mining surveillance system (MSS) to clamp down on illegal mining.MSS is the first of its kind surveillance system developed in the world using space technology.TNN | October 17, 2016, 08:29 IST

Jaipur: The Union Mining ministry has launched mining surveillance system (MSS) to clamp down on illegal mining. MSS is the first of its kind surveillance system developed in the world using space technology.

MSS is a satellite based monitoring system which aims to establish a regime of responsive mineral administration through public participation to curb instances of illegal mining through automatic remote sensing technology, said Union minister of state for power, coal, new and renewable energy and mines Piyush Goyal.

The ministry of mines through Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) has developed the MSS in coordination with Bhaskaracharya Institute of Space Applications and Geo- informatics (BISAG), Gandhi Nagar and ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) to use space technology for curbing illegal mining activity in the country.

The minister said the current system of monitoring of illegal mining is based on local complaints and unconfirmed information. There is also no robust mechanism to monitor the action taken on such complaints.

The system checks a region of 500 meters around the existing mining lease boundary to search for any unusual activity which is likely to be illegal mining. Any discrepancy if found is flagged off as a trigger. The Remote sensing control centers of IBM set up studies the triggers and then transmit it to the district level mining officials for field verification. A check for illegality in operation is conducted and reported back using a mobile App.

The advantages of this remote sensing technology based monitoring system are they are transparent and bias free (no human interference) and independent.